You’ve probably heard the old proverb, “March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb.” You might have heard it in reverse as well. This is an adage that’s been part of farmers’ almanacs since the 18th century, serving as a reminder that when March starts it’s the winter, and when it ends it’s the spring.

But there’s a good reason the proverb goes both ways: it’s not always true. March is unpredictable when it comes to weather. And here in Georgia, March often comes in like a lamb and leaves like a bigger lamb—it’s already air conditioning weather all the way!

Because of this, we encourage homeowners to make the most of March to prepare for the hotter weather. It’s already warming up, and the serious heat will be here before we know it. Making sure that your AC is ready for the challenge of another hot and humid Georgia summer is an essential part of the spring.

First things first: Have you scheduled air conditioning maintenance yet?

The critical step in air conditioning preparation is to have the system professionally maintained. A technician comes to your home and provides the AC with a full inspection that covers all the major components, and then follows up with cleanings, adjustments, and other tune-up jobs.

Air conditioning maintenance is a yearly task. Missing even one year gives the forces of age and stress an opportunity to gain a foothold on the AC. The result is an air conditioning system that drains power as it runs, is at a higher risk of needing repairs, and will need to be replaced earlier than it should.

Our Comfort Club is an easy way to have maintenance seen to each year. Our 30-point AC tune-up is thorough and will see that your cooling system is in prime shape. The Comfort Club also includes maintenance for your heating system in fall, so you have your total comfort seen to.

Next, are there already any noticeable repair issues?

Maintenance will catch air conditioning malfunctions when they’re small so you can have repairs done in time. But you still must keep a close look out for signs during the early warm weather that anything is amiss with the AC. Think back to when you were last steadily using your home’s cooling system. If there was something that didn’t seem right, such as odd noises or short-cycling, have HVAC professionals investigate before the hot weather gets serious.

Finally, is it time to replace the air conditioner?

This is a big question when it comes to prepping for hot weather. If your air conditioner is over 15 years old, or it’s costing more to run than it once did, we recommend contacting our technicians for advice about whether you should have it replaced with a new system. We’ll give you honest answers based on our assessments to help you make the best choice for future comfort.